MIAC

Introduction to the MIAC 'slide' set

Introduction

This set of images was originally produced as a set of
slides by the
Education
Sub-Committee of the Meteorite and Impact Advisory Committee of the
Canadian
Space Agency (formerly a committee of the National Research Council of
Canada) with the help of the Geological Survey of Canada. Slides of
most
of these images are available as a set from the Geological
Survey of Canada.

Fall of Ensisheim meteorite, 1492 AD

The ENSISEIM meteorite fell in a wheat field near the town of
this name in Alsace, France on November 6th, 1492. It was a daylight fall
(11:30
am) and followed a loud detonation. For many years the meteorite was
hung
on display in the local church (seen in the Wood Cut) on the orders of
King Maximillian I who pointed to it as clear evidence of the divine
approval
of his political and military activities. (Original source unknown).

Major mass of Ensisheim.

Although initially on display in the church, many fragments of the
original
mass which was about 127 kg, have been chipped off over the years and
the
remaining major mass is now only about 55 kg and is currently on
display
in the Old Town Hall ('Hotel de Ville'/'Rathaus') of Ensisheim. It is
seen
in the slide with the Custodian. The meteorite is a brecciated
LL6 chondrite.
Fragments have found their way into many of the major meteorite
collections
in the world. (Courtesy Dr. Peter M. Millman, 08 Sep 79)

Temple at Ephesus.

St. Paul, in the Acts of the Apostles (Ch. 19, v. 35), mentioned that
the
temple at Ephesus contained an idol that fell from Jupiter. Meteorites
were often incorporated in the sanctuaries of temples and we know also
that the Greeks venerated meteorites. EPHESUS is listed in Granam,
Bevan
& Hutchinson's 'Catalogue of Meteorites' as 'doubtful' and no
existing
meteorite has been definitely linked to the temple at Ephesus. (from a
painting by Harold Oakley, In: 'Wonders of the Past', 1924, J.A.
Hammerton,
G.P. Putnam's Sons. New York & London)

Ancient coin reliefs.

Shown here is an imperial coin of Emesa, in
Syria with a conic
'Aerolith'
being carried on a quadriga or four-horse chariot (lower left). Detail
(upper centre) shows the accompanying image of an eagle, an emblem of
majesty
and power. Also shown (lower left) is part of an old Cypriot coin
depicting
the temple of Aphrodite at Paphos in Cyprus. In the middle is a
pyramidal
meteoritic idol of the goddess whose planet is seen at the top in the
arms
of the crescent moon. There is a discussion of these and other such
depictions
of meteorites from antiquity in the article by E.M. Antoniadi, 'On
Ancient
Meteorites and on the origin of the crescent and the star emblem' J.
Roy.
Astron. Soc. Canada (1939) v. 33, p. 177-184, from illustrations in
which
this image was partially composed.